corliss outley | Texas A&M University (original) (raw)
Papers by corliss outley
The Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 2019
One cannot have a conversation about social justice without first understanding injustice and its... more One cannot have a conversation about social justice without first understanding injustice and its impact. In the case of youth development, it has been repeatedly noted that Black youth living in the United States face additional race-related challenges that can impede their social, educational, and mental health (Erikson, 1994). Oftentimes, institutions such as public schools, recreation agencies, and the justice system contribute to these challenges: first, by implementing policies that further distance Black youth from the outcomes achieved by white youth. Second, by failing to provide culturally relevant practices that meet the specific needs of Black youth. Recognizing these disparities, grassroots movements in Black communities adopted Rites of Passage (ROP) programs as a means of preparing Black youth for adulthood in the United States of America. The primary goal of ROP programs is to neutralize the negative patterns induced by the social forces that continue to marginalize African Americans (Warfield-Coppock, 1992). Theoretical support for the ROP model can be found in the social justice youth development framework which emphasizes the importance of helping youth recognizing the traumatic histories associated with factors such as racism, helping youth heal through engagement in culturally appropriate programs and services, and assisting them in developing a critical consciousness for moving forward (Ginwright, 2010). Using an Afrocentric lens, this ROP model has been found to provide protective factors for African American youth while promoting their positive development (Pinckney, Outley, Blake, & Kelly, 2011). Furthermore, in recent years, faith-based organizations, parks and recreation districts, and schools have begun implementing ROP programs for Black youth. Still, this is an understudied concept generally and has gone virtually unnoticed in leisure studies (Pinckney et al., 2011). Reflecting on data collected during a national scan of ROP programs, the authors 1) provide an overview of the current state of Black youth living in the United States, 2) highlight the potential of ROP programs to contribute to positive youth development, 3) introduce seven characteristics of ROP programs that contribute to improved outcomes for Black youth, and 4) provide managerial and research implications that can assist in expanding our understanding of ROP programs. Altogether the findings from this scan provide a path for assisting Black youth in overcoming systemic barriers to their development. Subscribe to JPRA
Abstract: Death is beyond one's personal control, generates great concern and anxiety, among... more Abstract: Death is beyond one's personal control, generates great concern and anxiety, among human beings. Studies exploring the association between religious attitudes and death attitudes in adolescents and young adults in postmodern society are scarce. This study examines the relationship between five dimensions of attitude toward death (fear of death, death avoidance, neutral acceptance, approach acceptance, and escape acceptance), death anxiety, life satisfaction and meaning, religiosity and selected personal factors among health care staff and students in three teaching hospitals. A total of 230 adolescents and adults both sexes who were willing participated. Diener et al Satisfaction with Life, Steger et al Meaning of Life Questionnaire; Templer's Death Anxiety Scale, Wong's Death Attitude Profile-R and a religious attitude scale were administered. Findings showed
Journal of Youth Development, 2021
The study of race has been silenced in many areas of science including youth development research... more The study of race has been silenced in many areas of science including youth development research. We present this commentary in response to an invitation to address the impact of racism on the field of youth development for the Journal of Youth Development. Through oral history narratives, the paper synthesizes an antiracist agenda from the perspectives of 6 Black scholars: Tabbye Chavous, Michael Cunningham, Davido Dupree, Leoandra Onnie Rogers, Stephanie Rowley, and Robert Sellers. The narratives depict each scholar’s perspective on race research that informs youth-serving programs and the study of race in research of children and adolescents, particularly Black children. We selected scholars based on their commitment to supporting research that helps children of color thrive, and who have in-depth knowledge about racist ideologies and practices that have persisted since the inception of the science of youth development. Each scholar offered thoughtful critiques regarding raciall...
Journal of park and recreation administration, 2007
Organizations, including many local parks and recreation departments, have embraced the concept o... more Organizations, including many local parks and recreation departments, have embraced the concept of diversity. In order to be true to the precepts of diversity and inclusiveness, leaders in the parks and recreation field must become adept at managing diverse resources, be they people, ideas, or concepts (Allison, 2000a; Thomas, 1996). However, many organizations still operate under the old paradigm in which dominant group members enjoy privileges and perquisites not available to minorities and women. Drawing on the theory of homosocial reproduction, this study investigates and explains the under representation of African Americans in senior positions in the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). The findings from qualitative interviews of 37 senior managers suggest many employees were “consciously or unconsciously” motivated to maintain the “status quo balance of power” between blacks and whites. This limitation not only provides a disservice to the employees within the organizati...
The purpose of the study was to identify factors that influence the career choice behaviors among... more The purpose of the study was to identify factors that influence the career choice behaviors among students who were members of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) National Society. A secondary purpose was to identify perceptions and attitudes among students that chose careers in agriculture and natural resources. The MANRRS students in the study indicated their mother and persons employed in the field as the individuals who most influenced their choice of a career. Students’ personal concern for the environment was an additional factor that influenced their choice of a career. The perceptions and attitudes reported by MANRRS students who chose a career in agriculture and natural resources focused around several themes, which included career opportunities, positive educational experiences, and internship/job experiences with agencies and organizations. It is hoped that the experiences presented here by current agriculture and natural resources s...
The Children’s Defense Fund states that over 21% of children in America live in poverty. Poor fam... more The Children’s Defense Fund states that over 21% of children in America live in poverty. Poor families and families of color are more likely to live in communities that are situated close to high-polluting industries, hazard waste facilities, and incinerators. In addition, these families are more likely to live in substandard housing, experience poor indoor and outdoor air quality, and be exposed to deteriorating lead paint and contaminated soil within individual homes and communities. Currently, 16% of white non-Hispanic children live in poverty, compared with 41.5% of blacks and 41% of Hispanic children, and as a result these children live in communities that bear a disproportionate share of the environmental problems that occur in the United States. The disparity in environmental con
Journal of Youth Development, 2020
After yet more vivid examples of how Black people are far too often treated unjustly in America a... more After yet more vivid examples of how Black people are far too often treated unjustly in America and the enormous response worldwide, it is high time to recognize racism in our field and promote a strong and sustained commitment to antiracist approaches to research, publishing, practice, and policy in the youth development field. This essay begins to make the case for such efforts and calls for sustained action in many areas. These are things we can and must do as a field that supports the positive development of all youth.
Leisure Sciences, 2020
For centuries Africans were captured and brought to America in bondage and forced to forge a new ... more For centuries Africans were captured and brought to America in bondage and forced to forge a new culture. The development of a Black culture gave rise to humor as a coping mechanism against the oppressive state they found themselves in. For centuries, humor became a way to protest their conditions by creating various humorous styles that infused social political commentary on oppression as a sign of defiance, while also providing hope for the hopeless. This commentary seeks to introduce leisure scholars to how Black Twitter (Sharma, 2013) users' expressions of humor during the COVID-19 pandemic serve as a form of resistance to injustices and inequalities, while simultaneously adopting coping strategies to reclaim power and control in order to speak their truth all while cultivating individual and collective identity in/through leisure.
Leisure Sciences, 2020
While people across the globe adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, young people have been the center o... more While people across the globe adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, young people have been the center of many news stories. Millions of young people are required to stay home due to school closures, and adults are forced to consider alternative structures to support youths' needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed multiple injustices and forms of oppression experienced by the most vulnerable in our country, which includes young people experiencing poverty, incarceration, foster care, homelessness, and those with marginalized identities. This article will discuss the role of power and social control in the lives of youth during the COVID-19 pandemic and present strategies leisure researchers and practitioners can adopt to overcome the loss of critical support structures and mitigate exponential effects of COVID-19 on our most vulnerable youth.
SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, 2005
Journal of Leisure Research, 2004
Journal of Youth Development, 2019
The positive development of immigrant, refugee, and border youth is a significant issue among you... more The positive development of immigrant, refugee, and border youth is a significant issue among youth development researchers, practitioners, and policy makers. As evidenced by the papers in this issue, the field has made great strides in research and programmatic approaches and has begun to identify specific developmental pathways. This special issue is intended to ignite a spark in future research and programming, encouraging the field of youth development to further develop interdisciplinary perspectives that include not only a focus on immigrant, refugee, and border youth, but also include their voices.
Leisure Sciences, 2018
Racial neutrality does not exist within digital and virtual spaces. Our racialized identities are... more Racial neutrality does not exist within digital and virtual spaces. Our racialized identities are imported into these spaces, as are the ideologies of our respective societies. This reality begs the question, how do Black people situate themselves in digital White leisure spaces, especially when these spaces maintain and replicate off-line spaces of racial discrimination and overt racism? This article presents a background on Black Internet users and highlights how Black people have used digital spaces to counter and disrupt messages that perpetuate inaccurate stereotypes and social inequalities. Examples are offered to support this claim. This article underlines how behaviors of Black people in digital spaces can demonstrate the presence of Black leisure and highlight the realities of Black life. Finally, critical technocultural discourse analysis will be introduced as a technique for advancing this discussion within the context of race and leisure. Although the literature on race and leisure has matured to become a larger and more diverse subfield (Floyd, 2007; Shinew et al., 2006), new questions and topics have developed that do not fit neatly into established theoretical frameworks, such as ethnicity, marginality, critical race theory, racial discrimination hypothesis, and multiple-hierarchy stratification (Mowatt, Ostermeyer, & Floyd, 2016). Rapid globalization fueled by advances in technology, surges in immigration, economic and political shifts, and other social forces have created new areas for leisure researchers to explore ways that racial projects can endure and proliferate (Saperstein, Penner, & Light, 2013). The Internet and digital/virtual/cyberworlds represent an important frontier for examining race and leisure. Of particular importance to leisure scholars are "digital leisure spaces" (Silk, Milington, Rich, & Bush, 2016) on the Internet (i.e., social media, virtual worlds, and video games). This begs the question, how do Black people situate themselves in digital leisure spaces? This question is especially important when one recognizes that these spaces maintain and replicate off-line spaces of racial discrimination and overt racism. Race continues to be a powerful organizing feature of society (Kobayashi & Peake, 2000) and is reproduced in digital spaces (Boler, 2007). Thus, within digital leisure spaces, neutrality
Leisure Sciences, 2018
Abstract In the United States, black youth face unique challenges that shape “where” they recreat... more Abstract In the United States, black youth face unique challenges that shape “where” they recreate, “who” they participate with, and “how” they engage in recreation. Recent events around the country have highlighted the potential of racial profiling in leisure settings. As a result, black youth and parents remain aware of the potential dangers of participating in recreation activities in public spaces. As black youth and their families are forced to navigate these realities, our field is presented with opportunities to explore unanswered questions about the relationship between Race and leisure, especially in the area of youth development. Using multiple contemporary examples to demonstrate the impact of Race on the recreation of black youth, three theoretical frameworks are presented that may help advance the discussion on race, recreation, and youth development. Warning: This article includes videos that contain graphic content and may be upsetting to some.
Purpose: Peer and social norm influences are significant health determinants of adolescent sexual... more Purpose: Peer and social norm influences are significant health determinants of adolescent sexual activity, yet little is known about the way adolescents perceive sexual activity rates of their friends relative to peers their own age. The objectives of this study were to: (1) examine differences in perceived sexual activity rates based on proximity of adolescents’ social group (i.e., friends versus peers) and (2) identify factors associated with deviation among these perceived rates. Methods: Data from the Adolescent Health Risk Behavior Survey were examined from 656 students enrolled in grades 8, 10, and 12. T-tests, analysis of variance, and linear regression analysis were performed. Results: Participants perceived less of their friends engaged in sexual activity compared to the proportion of others their age (t = 9.46, P < 0.001). Females (β = 0.18, P < 0.001), tenth graders (β = 0.14, P = 0.006), and those perceiving unprotected sex as more risky (β = 0.12, P = 0.004) perceived significantly larger variation between sexual activity rates based on proximity of their peers (i.e., others their age were more sexually active than friends). Conclusions: Although perceptions of peer behaviors may reflect one’s own actions, findings from this study may indicate adolescents are inaccurately estimating rates of sexual activity among their peers. Future research is needed to explore how normative perceptions about friends versus peers are associated with and influence adolescent sexual activity. Multi-level sexuality education efforts should dispel myths and provide evidence-based information about prevalence of sexual activity and associated risks.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2010
Journal of School Health, 2013
BACKGROUND-Researchers in numerous disciplines have investigated the effects of the school enviro... more BACKGROUND-Researchers in numerous disciplines have investigated the effects of the school environment on childhood obesity, one of the greatest current health concerns in the United States. There is a gap in current empirical evidence, however, on school personnel's perspectives of this issue. This study examined school personnel's perceptions of obesity as a problem among school-aged children and their views on factors contributing to obesity. METHODS-Thirty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with elementary school personnel (teachers, administrators, and support staff) from 5 rural schools with a predominantly Hispanic (58.18%) and Black (30.24%) student population. The constant comparison method was used to identify emergent themes. RESULTS-All but one participant considered obesity to be a problem among elementary children. Factors facilitating obesity most frequently cited by school personnel were home environment, poor nutrition, child control of dietary choices, child inactivity, and entertainment electronics. CONCLUSIONS-Child control of dietary choices in both home and school environments was identified as a major contributor to obesity. Further exploration of this control is warranted to understand the complexity of this dynamic and its potential link to childhood obesity.
Criminal Justice Policy Review
In the United States, the mission of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in... more In the United States, the mission of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention includes the development and implementation of prevention and intervention programs. While many of these initiatives include recreation, there remains no standard for recreation programs. The purpose of this study was to review the written authorities for each state to identify the minimum requirements for recreation programming in juvenile justice facilities. Among other discoveries, we found that across all states, there is not a shared definition of recreation, only 70% of states have daily mandatory minimums requirements, only 44% of states require youth be given time outside, and only 56% of states include justifications for denying youth access to recreation. Implications for professionals and researchers are discussed, as well as suggestions for further inquiry and the integration of recreation into the treatment process.
Journal of Youth Development
This study used a qualitative methodology to identify and describe barriers that Latinx high scho... more This study used a qualitative methodology to identify and describe barriers that Latinx high school students face in their college aspirations and the supports they recognize as pivotal to achieving their goal of attending college. In order to understand barriers and supports for college attendance, 23 Latinx high school students in Southern California participated in 4 focus groups. Students were asked about barriers that most affect the students’ college aspirations and varying supports needed to assist in their goal to go to college. The most common barriers reported by them were: lack of financial resources, family responsibilities, lack of teachers’ support, peer pressure, and systematic discrimination. The most valuable resources mentioned were: support from their parents, siblings, relatives and teachers. Additionally, support from Latino extended families were vital as they provided encouragement, advice, economic support, and a sense of pride concerning students’ achievemen...
The Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 2019
One cannot have a conversation about social justice without first understanding injustice and its... more One cannot have a conversation about social justice without first understanding injustice and its impact. In the case of youth development, it has been repeatedly noted that Black youth living in the United States face additional race-related challenges that can impede their social, educational, and mental health (Erikson, 1994). Oftentimes, institutions such as public schools, recreation agencies, and the justice system contribute to these challenges: first, by implementing policies that further distance Black youth from the outcomes achieved by white youth. Second, by failing to provide culturally relevant practices that meet the specific needs of Black youth. Recognizing these disparities, grassroots movements in Black communities adopted Rites of Passage (ROP) programs as a means of preparing Black youth for adulthood in the United States of America. The primary goal of ROP programs is to neutralize the negative patterns induced by the social forces that continue to marginalize African Americans (Warfield-Coppock, 1992). Theoretical support for the ROP model can be found in the social justice youth development framework which emphasizes the importance of helping youth recognizing the traumatic histories associated with factors such as racism, helping youth heal through engagement in culturally appropriate programs and services, and assisting them in developing a critical consciousness for moving forward (Ginwright, 2010). Using an Afrocentric lens, this ROP model has been found to provide protective factors for African American youth while promoting their positive development (Pinckney, Outley, Blake, & Kelly, 2011). Furthermore, in recent years, faith-based organizations, parks and recreation districts, and schools have begun implementing ROP programs for Black youth. Still, this is an understudied concept generally and has gone virtually unnoticed in leisure studies (Pinckney et al., 2011). Reflecting on data collected during a national scan of ROP programs, the authors 1) provide an overview of the current state of Black youth living in the United States, 2) highlight the potential of ROP programs to contribute to positive youth development, 3) introduce seven characteristics of ROP programs that contribute to improved outcomes for Black youth, and 4) provide managerial and research implications that can assist in expanding our understanding of ROP programs. Altogether the findings from this scan provide a path for assisting Black youth in overcoming systemic barriers to their development. Subscribe to JPRA
Abstract: Death is beyond one's personal control, generates great concern and anxiety, among... more Abstract: Death is beyond one's personal control, generates great concern and anxiety, among human beings. Studies exploring the association between religious attitudes and death attitudes in adolescents and young adults in postmodern society are scarce. This study examines the relationship between five dimensions of attitude toward death (fear of death, death avoidance, neutral acceptance, approach acceptance, and escape acceptance), death anxiety, life satisfaction and meaning, religiosity and selected personal factors among health care staff and students in three teaching hospitals. A total of 230 adolescents and adults both sexes who were willing participated. Diener et al Satisfaction with Life, Steger et al Meaning of Life Questionnaire; Templer's Death Anxiety Scale, Wong's Death Attitude Profile-R and a religious attitude scale were administered. Findings showed
Journal of Youth Development, 2021
The study of race has been silenced in many areas of science including youth development research... more The study of race has been silenced in many areas of science including youth development research. We present this commentary in response to an invitation to address the impact of racism on the field of youth development for the Journal of Youth Development. Through oral history narratives, the paper synthesizes an antiracist agenda from the perspectives of 6 Black scholars: Tabbye Chavous, Michael Cunningham, Davido Dupree, Leoandra Onnie Rogers, Stephanie Rowley, and Robert Sellers. The narratives depict each scholar’s perspective on race research that informs youth-serving programs and the study of race in research of children and adolescents, particularly Black children. We selected scholars based on their commitment to supporting research that helps children of color thrive, and who have in-depth knowledge about racist ideologies and practices that have persisted since the inception of the science of youth development. Each scholar offered thoughtful critiques regarding raciall...
Journal of park and recreation administration, 2007
Organizations, including many local parks and recreation departments, have embraced the concept o... more Organizations, including many local parks and recreation departments, have embraced the concept of diversity. In order to be true to the precepts of diversity and inclusiveness, leaders in the parks and recreation field must become adept at managing diverse resources, be they people, ideas, or concepts (Allison, 2000a; Thomas, 1996). However, many organizations still operate under the old paradigm in which dominant group members enjoy privileges and perquisites not available to minorities and women. Drawing on the theory of homosocial reproduction, this study investigates and explains the under representation of African Americans in senior positions in the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). The findings from qualitative interviews of 37 senior managers suggest many employees were “consciously or unconsciously” motivated to maintain the “status quo balance of power” between blacks and whites. This limitation not only provides a disservice to the employees within the organizati...
The purpose of the study was to identify factors that influence the career choice behaviors among... more The purpose of the study was to identify factors that influence the career choice behaviors among students who were members of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) National Society. A secondary purpose was to identify perceptions and attitudes among students that chose careers in agriculture and natural resources. The MANRRS students in the study indicated their mother and persons employed in the field as the individuals who most influenced their choice of a career. Students’ personal concern for the environment was an additional factor that influenced their choice of a career. The perceptions and attitudes reported by MANRRS students who chose a career in agriculture and natural resources focused around several themes, which included career opportunities, positive educational experiences, and internship/job experiences with agencies and organizations. It is hoped that the experiences presented here by current agriculture and natural resources s...
The Children’s Defense Fund states that over 21% of children in America live in poverty. Poor fam... more The Children’s Defense Fund states that over 21% of children in America live in poverty. Poor families and families of color are more likely to live in communities that are situated close to high-polluting industries, hazard waste facilities, and incinerators. In addition, these families are more likely to live in substandard housing, experience poor indoor and outdoor air quality, and be exposed to deteriorating lead paint and contaminated soil within individual homes and communities. Currently, 16% of white non-Hispanic children live in poverty, compared with 41.5% of blacks and 41% of Hispanic children, and as a result these children live in communities that bear a disproportionate share of the environmental problems that occur in the United States. The disparity in environmental con
Journal of Youth Development, 2020
After yet more vivid examples of how Black people are far too often treated unjustly in America a... more After yet more vivid examples of how Black people are far too often treated unjustly in America and the enormous response worldwide, it is high time to recognize racism in our field and promote a strong and sustained commitment to antiracist approaches to research, publishing, practice, and policy in the youth development field. This essay begins to make the case for such efforts and calls for sustained action in many areas. These are things we can and must do as a field that supports the positive development of all youth.
Leisure Sciences, 2020
For centuries Africans were captured and brought to America in bondage and forced to forge a new ... more For centuries Africans were captured and brought to America in bondage and forced to forge a new culture. The development of a Black culture gave rise to humor as a coping mechanism against the oppressive state they found themselves in. For centuries, humor became a way to protest their conditions by creating various humorous styles that infused social political commentary on oppression as a sign of defiance, while also providing hope for the hopeless. This commentary seeks to introduce leisure scholars to how Black Twitter (Sharma, 2013) users' expressions of humor during the COVID-19 pandemic serve as a form of resistance to injustices and inequalities, while simultaneously adopting coping strategies to reclaim power and control in order to speak their truth all while cultivating individual and collective identity in/through leisure.
Leisure Sciences, 2020
While people across the globe adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, young people have been the center o... more While people across the globe adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, young people have been the center of many news stories. Millions of young people are required to stay home due to school closures, and adults are forced to consider alternative structures to support youths' needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed multiple injustices and forms of oppression experienced by the most vulnerable in our country, which includes young people experiencing poverty, incarceration, foster care, homelessness, and those with marginalized identities. This article will discuss the role of power and social control in the lives of youth during the COVID-19 pandemic and present strategies leisure researchers and practitioners can adopt to overcome the loss of critical support structures and mitigate exponential effects of COVID-19 on our most vulnerable youth.
SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, 2005
Journal of Leisure Research, 2004
Journal of Youth Development, 2019
The positive development of immigrant, refugee, and border youth is a significant issue among you... more The positive development of immigrant, refugee, and border youth is a significant issue among youth development researchers, practitioners, and policy makers. As evidenced by the papers in this issue, the field has made great strides in research and programmatic approaches and has begun to identify specific developmental pathways. This special issue is intended to ignite a spark in future research and programming, encouraging the field of youth development to further develop interdisciplinary perspectives that include not only a focus on immigrant, refugee, and border youth, but also include their voices.
Leisure Sciences, 2018
Racial neutrality does not exist within digital and virtual spaces. Our racialized identities are... more Racial neutrality does not exist within digital and virtual spaces. Our racialized identities are imported into these spaces, as are the ideologies of our respective societies. This reality begs the question, how do Black people situate themselves in digital White leisure spaces, especially when these spaces maintain and replicate off-line spaces of racial discrimination and overt racism? This article presents a background on Black Internet users and highlights how Black people have used digital spaces to counter and disrupt messages that perpetuate inaccurate stereotypes and social inequalities. Examples are offered to support this claim. This article underlines how behaviors of Black people in digital spaces can demonstrate the presence of Black leisure and highlight the realities of Black life. Finally, critical technocultural discourse analysis will be introduced as a technique for advancing this discussion within the context of race and leisure. Although the literature on race and leisure has matured to become a larger and more diverse subfield (Floyd, 2007; Shinew et al., 2006), new questions and topics have developed that do not fit neatly into established theoretical frameworks, such as ethnicity, marginality, critical race theory, racial discrimination hypothesis, and multiple-hierarchy stratification (Mowatt, Ostermeyer, & Floyd, 2016). Rapid globalization fueled by advances in technology, surges in immigration, economic and political shifts, and other social forces have created new areas for leisure researchers to explore ways that racial projects can endure and proliferate (Saperstein, Penner, & Light, 2013). The Internet and digital/virtual/cyberworlds represent an important frontier for examining race and leisure. Of particular importance to leisure scholars are "digital leisure spaces" (Silk, Milington, Rich, & Bush, 2016) on the Internet (i.e., social media, virtual worlds, and video games). This begs the question, how do Black people situate themselves in digital leisure spaces? This question is especially important when one recognizes that these spaces maintain and replicate off-line spaces of racial discrimination and overt racism. Race continues to be a powerful organizing feature of society (Kobayashi & Peake, 2000) and is reproduced in digital spaces (Boler, 2007). Thus, within digital leisure spaces, neutrality
Leisure Sciences, 2018
Abstract In the United States, black youth face unique challenges that shape “where” they recreat... more Abstract In the United States, black youth face unique challenges that shape “where” they recreate, “who” they participate with, and “how” they engage in recreation. Recent events around the country have highlighted the potential of racial profiling in leisure settings. As a result, black youth and parents remain aware of the potential dangers of participating in recreation activities in public spaces. As black youth and their families are forced to navigate these realities, our field is presented with opportunities to explore unanswered questions about the relationship between Race and leisure, especially in the area of youth development. Using multiple contemporary examples to demonstrate the impact of Race on the recreation of black youth, three theoretical frameworks are presented that may help advance the discussion on race, recreation, and youth development. Warning: This article includes videos that contain graphic content and may be upsetting to some.
Purpose: Peer and social norm influences are significant health determinants of adolescent sexual... more Purpose: Peer and social norm influences are significant health determinants of adolescent sexual activity, yet little is known about the way adolescents perceive sexual activity rates of their friends relative to peers their own age. The objectives of this study were to: (1) examine differences in perceived sexual activity rates based on proximity of adolescents’ social group (i.e., friends versus peers) and (2) identify factors associated with deviation among these perceived rates. Methods: Data from the Adolescent Health Risk Behavior Survey were examined from 656 students enrolled in grades 8, 10, and 12. T-tests, analysis of variance, and linear regression analysis were performed. Results: Participants perceived less of their friends engaged in sexual activity compared to the proportion of others their age (t = 9.46, P < 0.001). Females (β = 0.18, P < 0.001), tenth graders (β = 0.14, P = 0.006), and those perceiving unprotected sex as more risky (β = 0.12, P = 0.004) perceived significantly larger variation between sexual activity rates based on proximity of their peers (i.e., others their age were more sexually active than friends). Conclusions: Although perceptions of peer behaviors may reflect one’s own actions, findings from this study may indicate adolescents are inaccurately estimating rates of sexual activity among their peers. Future research is needed to explore how normative perceptions about friends versus peers are associated with and influence adolescent sexual activity. Multi-level sexuality education efforts should dispel myths and provide evidence-based information about prevalence of sexual activity and associated risks.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2010
Journal of School Health, 2013
BACKGROUND-Researchers in numerous disciplines have investigated the effects of the school enviro... more BACKGROUND-Researchers in numerous disciplines have investigated the effects of the school environment on childhood obesity, one of the greatest current health concerns in the United States. There is a gap in current empirical evidence, however, on school personnel's perspectives of this issue. This study examined school personnel's perceptions of obesity as a problem among school-aged children and their views on factors contributing to obesity. METHODS-Thirty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with elementary school personnel (teachers, administrators, and support staff) from 5 rural schools with a predominantly Hispanic (58.18%) and Black (30.24%) student population. The constant comparison method was used to identify emergent themes. RESULTS-All but one participant considered obesity to be a problem among elementary children. Factors facilitating obesity most frequently cited by school personnel were home environment, poor nutrition, child control of dietary choices, child inactivity, and entertainment electronics. CONCLUSIONS-Child control of dietary choices in both home and school environments was identified as a major contributor to obesity. Further exploration of this control is warranted to understand the complexity of this dynamic and its potential link to childhood obesity.
Criminal Justice Policy Review
In the United States, the mission of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in... more In the United States, the mission of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention includes the development and implementation of prevention and intervention programs. While many of these initiatives include recreation, there remains no standard for recreation programs. The purpose of this study was to review the written authorities for each state to identify the minimum requirements for recreation programming in juvenile justice facilities. Among other discoveries, we found that across all states, there is not a shared definition of recreation, only 70% of states have daily mandatory minimums requirements, only 44% of states require youth be given time outside, and only 56% of states include justifications for denying youth access to recreation. Implications for professionals and researchers are discussed, as well as suggestions for further inquiry and the integration of recreation into the treatment process.
Journal of Youth Development
This study used a qualitative methodology to identify and describe barriers that Latinx high scho... more This study used a qualitative methodology to identify and describe barriers that Latinx high school students face in their college aspirations and the supports they recognize as pivotal to achieving their goal of attending college. In order to understand barriers and supports for college attendance, 23 Latinx high school students in Southern California participated in 4 focus groups. Students were asked about barriers that most affect the students’ college aspirations and varying supports needed to assist in their goal to go to college. The most common barriers reported by them were: lack of financial resources, family responsibilities, lack of teachers’ support, peer pressure, and systematic discrimination. The most valuable resources mentioned were: support from their parents, siblings, relatives and teachers. Additionally, support from Latino extended families were vital as they provided encouragement, advice, economic support, and a sense of pride concerning students’ achievemen...